Tasty Bites: Grilled Vegetables with Sausage and Penne

By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)

I’ve never been much of a sausage fan. Too many parts. Unknown parts. Ground up. Suspiciously. But on a wander through the grocery store I ran across this chicken sausage with basil and sundried tomatoes that intrigued me, mostly because the ingredient list was very simple and there was very little processing. I decided to live on the edge, despite the “natural pork casing.” And that edge was surprisingly delicious.

I didn’t know what to do with the sausage, so I basically grabbed half of a rainbow of peppers, onions, and lit the grill. It’s my go-to method of cooking when I really have nothing planned. I love grilled vegetables, especially the charred parts, and the mixture of flavors in this concoction was really tasty. You just can’t beat the flavor kick of fresh herbs.

I added the pasta for a few carbs, but didn’t want too many. I love the ingredients in Omega-3 pastas – high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Win/Win/Win. Check out the ingredient list. Always, always read the ingredient list!

On the fly and done in less than 30 minutes, this dinner was tasty, light, and I’ll buy this sausage again (nobody paid me to say that). Leftovers are really good heated up in the microwave, or stuffed in a pita.

Grilled Vegetables with Sausage and Penne
(Serving Size: 4)

1 each: Yellow, Red, and Orange Pepper

1 each: Red and Yellow Onion

1 cup Omega-3 Penne Pasta

4 Chicken Sausages

2 Tablespoons  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon  Red Pepper Flakes

½ teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil (chiffonade)

2 Tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Cut peppers and onions into strips and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Place in grill basket and place on hot grill, and cover. Grill for about 15 minutes, stirring twice, until vegetables get a nice char.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.

Grill sausages until dark grill marks appear. Turn to grill evenly. Remove sausages from grill, slice diagonally into bite-sized pieces.

Toss pasta, grilled vegetables, and sausages together in large bowl. Sprinkle with basil and parmesan.

Candy Steele is a registered nurse who has worked with cardiac patients for over thirty years. “Functional foods” have become her passion, and she enjoys sharing her love of cooking, a random life and a faithful Jesus with her friends at Steele (the Day). She is blessed with three grown children, a new daughter-in-law, and a kind and patient husband who only knows how to fix popcorn (but she’s OK with that).